Starting one’s own business is something that is never easy. Becoming an entrepreneur is a daunting task, scary and demanding and a lot of people become terrified even before they give it a go. When starting a business, one needs to consider a number of things, such as whether there are potential clients out there, whether one has the expertise to do something and whether one can afford to start a business.
One career path that many choose to take is becoming coaches, but not athletic coaches like you might think. These are life coaches, business coaches, wellness coaches and everyone in between. And if we look back at the considerations of starting a new business, it becomes quite clear why coaching is such a popular choice.
Why Coaching Makes for a Great Business Idea
The first reason why coaching is such a great career is that it is one of the most fulfilling jobs one can have. In fact, it is so fulfilling and positive that you will not see it as a job. You are helping people live up to their potential and it makes for a superbly satisfying career.
Another reason why coaching is a great career move is that starting a coaching business does not require too much money. Unlike in some other fields, you do not need to spend a fortune on office space and equipment. Coaching is something you can even do online. Of course, you will need to separate yourself from the rest in order to make it work this way, but it is worth a try.
Becoming a coach also does not require a diploma or an official certificate of any kind, which is something that many people find very liberating and democratic. If you have something to offer to people, you do not need to sit through four or more years of school just so someone can say you know how to do it.
Finally, there are so many different kinds of coaching that you are bound to find something you are good at, something that you can do to help people. You can become a life coach, a business coach, a wellness coach or a completely different coach if you believe you have something to share with other people.
Is it for you?
Of course, just because coaching is an interesting and exciting career possibility, this does not mean that you should become one. It will all depend on what you want out of your new career and whether you are ready to take that step to becoming your own boss.
For instance, the mere fact that no formal qualifications are needed to become a coach does not mean that just about anyone can become one. You need to be honest with yourself and determine whether you really have the necessary coaching skills and something special that you can offer to your future clients. If you are a poor listener and a poor motivator, coaching might not be the right choice for you.
In addition to this, you will also need to brush up on the coaching techniques. It is not something you are born with. It is something you need to work on and something you have to hone over the years. The good news is there is no shortage of material on coaching techniques and you just need to be careful to find reputable sources of information, people who will not waste your time by demanding too much of your money.
The Money Issue
Yes, it is not in good form to talk about money, but sometimes you just have to. Namely, when you start any business, coaching business included, you cannot expect to start making any serious money in the first year or so. Maybe after a year and a half, you will be able to cut yourself a decent salary. While it is easier to make clean profit with coaching than with some other business ideas, you still need to realize that the early days are going to be difficult.
You are going to enter an arena where there are already established names with developed businesses and client bases. You will need to work extremely hard to find your own clients, to reach out to new ones and to keep the clients you already have. Even then, it will feel at times that it is much more difficult than it should be; I am not trying to fool you.
That being said, if you really have something to offer to your future clients, if you decide to improve yourself constantly and if you work as hard as is humanly possible, no one can stop you from becoming a successful coaching entrepreneur.
Go for it!